26 November 2011

Are You a Happy Introvert?

Being understood, understanding others, and understanding ourselves, can often lead to happiness. This especially applies to people who have a different way of thinking than the majority of those around them. Being an introvert frequently means being in a minority amongst extroverts, even though being introverted is often a very good sign of being intelligent, considerate and normal.

What does it mean to be introverted? In daily living it can mean being able to see through hype and hypocrisy. If you are an introvert, you may fail to see why people are excited and excitable about things you find meaningless, even though you may feel obliged to "play along".

If you always thought you were an extrovert, you may really be an introvert in disguise, namely a pseudo-extrovert. Do you often feel as though you are not being yourself?

If you go along with whatever those around you appear to enjoy, but you cannot see why they find such things enjoyable, then perhaps you are an introvert. I am the sort of person who has spent a great deal of energy experiencing the world over the years. I often set out alone, taking my own path and meeting people along the way. I am a cheerful and inquisitive person, but not a nosy or noisy one.

Do we have something in common?

Experiencing many things, learning about many things and ideas, discovering many possibilities, going to many place, never wishing to miss out on anything I might find interesting, just about sums up my life. At the same time, I have found most people to be dull or shallow, without anything particularly interesting or significant to say. Perhaps they have thought the same of me, especially when I continually decline invitations and avoid answering questions I find intrusive or inane.

I love exploring ideas. I love acquiring knowledge. I love the fact that I share a home with someone who also loves exploring ideas and acquiring knowledge. Conversing in a way I find inadequately meaningful or purposeful usually exhausts me. I often prefer to think alone than to think aloud.

Being a happy introvert means that I do not feel guilty for saying "no" when someone invites me to the sort of event I have never really enjoyed in previous experiences. Being experienced is the way I now know myself, and it is how I know what I like. It means that I can avoid events and experiences I am likely to find boring or annoying.

Although it may look like I live quietly to some people, they are usually not aware of how rich and interesting I find my inner world, the world of my thoughts, the deeply important past relationships and experiences in my life, and the wonderful possibilities, opportunities and activities open to me in the present as a happy introvert. I just do not wish to be distracted by other people's misunderstanding and misinterpretation of my preferences while I am trying to be creative or quiet or asleep.

No extroverts beyond this point

This blog is written for all the introverts in the world who need their own space, some time to themselves, and an opportunity to say: There is nothing wrong with being introverted, just leave me alone for a while and let me create something wonderful!

A happy introvert is likely to be highly creative, reasonably intelligent, sensitive to the world, considerate of others, a trustworthy companion, and a peaceful human being. Happy, healthy introversion is created by asserting the right to be who your brain wants you to be: Recent research has revealed that the brain of an introvert is stimulated differently from that of an extrovert.

Unfortunately, much of the scientific literature on introversion and the brain is not written in a clear or sensitive manner. This especially applies when examples of the introverted outlook - and pictorial illustrations of it - are provided inappropriately, and perhaps even misleadingly.

As we age, many of us may feel we have less energy than we did when younger. It may be why our inner introvert can begin to assert itself more as we mature. People frequently drain my now lower reserves of energy. In view of this, I think this blog post is long enough. If you are a true introvert, I am sure you will be happy just to reflect upon it for a while.